Beatrix the beaver longs to be good at something. Her brother Bevan is an expert at repairing the lodge with mud and twigs. Her sister Beverly is a superb swimmer and underwater gymnast. What makes Beatrix stand out? One day, she runs away by swimming up the creek and finds some fresh garden plants to eat, and tasty trees to gnaw. When her siblings set off to find her, all Three Little Beavers wind up trapped! It takes some simple engineering on the part of the humans who set the traps, and Beatrix’s discovery of her special talents, for the people and beavers to finally find a way to live in harmony.

Vetters: Thanks to Sheila Cohen, Visitor Use Assistant at Prince William Forest Park; Oklahoma Aquarium educators Ann Money and Michelle Zarantonello; and beaver experts Dr. Steve Windels and Tawnya Schoewe for reviewing the accuracy of the information in this book.

Reviews:

This would be a wonderful addition to a unit on animal adaptations as well as one to use to remind students that we all have unique gifts. - Library Media Connection

Also included is a four page section titled For Creative Minds which is filled with intriguing facts about beavers, their habitat and ecological impact on the environment. This inclusion is sure to satisfy inquisitive young readers who are interested in learning more about beavers.- Portland Book Review

Beatrix the beaver fails at necessary tasks that her siblings Beverly and Bevan master (e.g., dam building); when all three get caught in cages, she finds that she excels at staying calm. They're soon released into the wild in an improbably happy ending to this highly anthropomorphized story. - Horn Book Guide

Author/Illustrator Info:

In addition to authoringThree Little Beavers andLoon Chase for Arbordale, Jean Heilprin Diehl writes novels for kids and adults. Three Little Beavers was inspired by her interest in stories about urban wildlife conflicts with happy endings. Her fiction received a James Michener Award, and she has taught writing at all levels, from elementary school through college. She lives near Washington, DC. Visit her website here.

Cathy Morrison may have started her art career in animation but she soon fell in love with illustrating children’s books and has been doing so for 20 years. Cathy has illustrated Daisylocks, Nature Recycles: How About You?, Three Little Beavers, Animalogy: Animal Analogies, Dino Tracks, and Dino Treasures for Arbordale. Other titles Cathy has illustrated include Ignacio’s Chair, and the Young Patriots Series including Alexander Hamilton, Young Statesman; Frederick Douglass, Young Defender of Human Rights; and Juliette Low, Girl Scout Founder. Cathy works from her home overlooking a beautiful view of the Mummy Range, on the northern side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Check out Cathy’s blog at www.cathymorrison.blogspot.com.